William Lloyd (1779–1845), tall case clock, 1803, Springfield, Mass., wood: cherry, white pine, sumac, birch; metal: brass, iron; bitumen; enamel. Museums Collections Fund with support from the Von Hess Foundation.

DEERFIELD, MASS. — Historic Deerfield has recently acquired a Springfield, Mass., tall case clock made by cabinetmaker William Lloyd (1779–1845).  The case, made in 1803, was on loan to Historic Deerfield by the Locati family, and was recently purchased with support from the Von Hess Foundation.

The clock is on view in the Wright House, a part of the ongoing “Furniture Masterworks” exhibition. At 114 inches tall, the commanding clock features an 8-day brass movement with rack and snail strike mechanism, separate second hand, and enameled sheet iron face. Lloyd made his furniture in a shop near the Springfield-West Springfield ferry, in the fashionable Neoclassical style for customers throughout western Massachusetts.

Because tall case clocks were expensive status symbols, they were a small, but important part of his business. He probably maintained an inventory of no more than one or two at a time in his shop to raise his profile as a maker of luxury furniture.

For more information, www.historic-deerfield.org or 413-775-7214.